The more I read the more I learn. I knew it wasn't good for her and that is why I am so concerned. I was just confused on how I thought I was feeding her so little and she was still gaining weight. But I found out now that I can feed even less and she wont starve. She will still be getting the right nutrional value. Plus, it was my fault on the peanut butter stuffed kongs. Too much to give her along with her food.

TheRedQueen wrote:She teases me that my dogs are too skinny...and told me yesterday..."I asked my vet if a dog's ribs were visible if that was good...and the vet said no, that dog would be underweight." She's a work in progress, that girl...

BINGO

I don't like the "blame the vet" game, but on this one, generally most vets say that. Hey, if they hang a weight chart like the one posted by Christine, then yes, I'd feel comfortable blaming them.

My vet is great, by that chart, Ruby is perfect weight. The last time Ruby was in, I was told to take a few pounds off. And when I had Riggs too thin, they told me that too. And two of the vets there are anti-raw and the owner is major pro-vaccination... so I'm not just cherry picking my vet on this one.

Michelle

Inside me is a thin woman trying to get out. I usually shut the bitch up with a martini.

She does that now, and I think that is how she got her Daddy to give in to her. Looks at him with those eyes and he can't say no. She and Sammy lick the floor clean after dinner everynight looking for any peice of morsal they can find.

Hmmm... Faust acts like that as well, BUT... lately, when I add green beans to his kibble for volume, I find them picked out and deposited neatly in a ring around his food bowl. That tells me he's definitely NOT starving. A truly hungry dog will eat anything, literally.

My old dog, Elwood, was on the streets when I found him...they found sticks, pebbles and other debris in his first fecal...they guessed that he was eating anything he could find, in hopes that it was food. Since he never did it in the 11+ years that I had him after that, I'd guess they were right.

And honestly, my dogs get a LOT of table scraps, random treats, etc. I just cut back on dinner that night if they get a lot of things to eat...or they go without dinner (like last night). A friend of mine has a great line, that I use on my dogs when they fast for a night (usually after an especially treat filled day)..."Sorry, you didn't catch a rabbit today."

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

madremissy wrote: She and Sammy lick the floor clean after dinner everynight looking for any peice of morsal they can find.

Ruby licks the walls of Riggs' and Connor's crates, just in case they missed anything. It sounds like my Drama Queen has a rival!

I wasn't go to say this but..... when Travis and I eat in the den on TV trays she goes and licks them after they are put back up on their holder. They are both good about not begging and ignoring us (while giving a quick look every once and while) during dinner in the den but as soon as we are done and clean up the kitchen they think it is their turn to "clean up" after us. She licks Travis's big leather chair after he is done. It is practically a routine every night.

My guys lick all of my bowls/plates clean before they go in the dishwasher...I don't have a garbage disposal (septic)...so they get big chunks and liquids. The Wiener is well-known for standing on the dishwasher door to lick the plates clean. They're just not allowed to lick the utensils that are in the dishwasher, don't want them to accidentally lick a knife!

And Sawyer lies next to John on the couch and shares snacks each day.

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw